Stool

ABSTRACT

A folding stool with a swivel seat or rotating seat that may enhance comfort. The stool may employ a swing arm as part of its folding mechanism, In addition, the seat of the stool may be constructed from metal, wood, fabric, vinyl, leather, or plastic. The stool may have a locking mechanism to prevent its collapse when unfolded.

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority and the benefit thereof under 35 U.S.C,§119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/419,650, filed Dec. 3,2010, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposesas if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Present Disclosure

The present disclosure is directed to a stool that folds to a compactshape yet is both attractive and comfortable.

2. Related Art

Folding chairs and stools are popular because they can provide seatingfor a large number of people and are relatively inexpensive. When notneeded, they consume relatively little storage space. The trade-off forthis convenience and low cost is that folding chairs and stools aregenerally neither attractive nor comfortable.

By the same token, chairs and stools that are attractive and comfortableare generally large, heavy, expensive, and take up a lot of room. Thisis particularly problematic for facilities that want to provide aflexible space and comfortable furniture, such as schools and churches.When the space needs to be cleared or rearranged for an activity, thestools and chairs need to be stored, but storage is difficult if thestools and chairs do not collapse or fold. The facility is forced tomake a difficult choice between comfort and convenience. Families andindividuals that live in apartments and small houses face similarissues, especially if they need to provide seating for large gatheringssuch as a birthday party or holiday meal.

Currently, there are no stools on the market that combine the comfort ofa swivel seat with the convenience of a folding stool. Accordingly,there is a need for a stool or chair that is attractive and comfortablewhile folding to a small size.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure meets the foregoing need and allows a foldingstool to be attractive, comfortable, and compact, which results in asignificant reduction in storage requirements and other advantagesapparent from the discussion provided herein.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention describes a stool that includesa seat, a frame, and a swivel connected to the seat and to the frame.The swivel allows the seat to rotate relative to the frame. The stoolalso includes a first pair of legs pivotally connected to the frame anda second pair of legs pivotally connected to the frame. The second pairof legs is also pivotally connected to the first pair of legs. The firstpair of legs, the second pair of legs, and the frame are configured tofold to a folded position and to unfold to an unfolded position.

The stool may include a swing arm interposed between the second pair oflegs and the frame. The swing arm, if present, is pivotally connected tothe second pair of legs and the frame. The stool may also include a pinthat is attachable to the frame and configured to engage the swing armwhen the stool is in an unfolded position. By engaging the swing arm,the pin may lock the stool in the unfolded position. The stool mayfurther include a spring and a ring. The spring may be connectable tothe pin and configured to bias the pin toward the frame. The ring may beconnectable to the pin distal to the frame. A notch may be formed in theswing arm so that the notch engages the pin when the stool istransitioned to the unfolded position. A hole may be formed in the notchto receive the pin when the chair is unfolded. The frame may include apair of rails. Each rail may have an upper portion and a lower portion.The upper portion may be oriented at substantially a right angle to thelower portion. The seat may be constructed from one or more materials,including metal, wood, fabric, vinyl, leather, and/or plastic. Theswivel may be a flat swivel or a lazy susan swivel.

According to another aspect of the invention, a stool includes a frame,a seat, and a swivel connected to the seat and to the frame. The framehas a first end, a midpoint, and a second end. The swivel allows theseat to rotate relative to the frame. The stool also includes a firstleg with a first end and a midpoint, a swing arm with a first end and asecond end, and a second leg with a first end and a midpoint. The firstend of the first leg is pivotally connected to the first end of theframe. The first end of the swing arm is pivotally connected to themidpoint of the frame. The first end of the second leg is pivotallyconnected to the second end of the swing arm.

The first end of the second leg and the second end of the swing arm maybe adjacent to the second end of the frame when the stool is in an openor unfolded position. In addition, the first end of the second leg andthe second end of the swing arm may be adjacent to the first end of theframe and the first end of the first leg when the stool is in a foldedposition. The midpoint of the first leg may be pivotally connected tothe mid point of the second leg.

The stool may include a pin that is attachable to the frame. When thestool is in an unfolded position, the pin may engage the swing arm andlock the stool in an unfolded position. The stool may also include aspring and a ring. The spring may be connected to the pin and configuredto push or bias the pin toward the frame. The ring may be connected tothe pin distal the frame. A notch may be formed in the swing arm toengage the pin when the stool is being unfolded. A hole may be formed inthe notch to receive the pin when the stool is in an infolded position.The frame may include a pair of rails. Each rail may have an upperportion and a lower portion at substantially right angles to each other.The first leg may include a pair of legs, and the second may include apair of legs. The seat may constructed from one or more materials,including metal, wood, fabric, vinyl, leather, and/or plastic. Theswivel may be a flat swivel or a lazy susan swivel.

Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the presentdisclosure may be set forth or apparent from consideration of thefollowing detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is tobe understood that both the foregoing summary of the present disclosureand the following detailed description are exemplary and intended toprovide further explanation without limiting the scope of the presentdisclosure as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the present disclosure, are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of thepresent disclosure and together with the detailed description serve toexplain the principles of the present disclosure. No attempt is made toshow structural details of the present disclosure in more detail thanmay be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the presentdisclosure and the various ways in which it may be practiced. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 shows the underside of a folding stool constructed according tothe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows the stool of FIG. 1 in a partially folded position;

FIG. 3 shows the stool of FIG. 1 in a partially folded position;

FIG. 4 shows the stool of FIG. 1 in a folded position;

FIG. 5 shows the stool of FIG. 1 in an unfolded position;

FIG. 6 shows the stool of FIG. 1 in a folded position; and

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b show swivels that appropriate for use with the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The embodiments of the present disclosure and the various features andadvantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference tothe non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/orillustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the followingdescription. It should be noted that the features illustrated in thedrawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of oneembodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisanwould recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions ofwell-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as tonot unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the present disclosure. Theexamples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understandingof ways in which the present disclosure may be practiced and to furtherenable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of thepresent disclosure. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments hereinshould not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure,which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law.Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similarparts throughout the several views of the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the underside of a stool constructed in accordance with anaspect of the present disclosure. A stool 10 may include a frame 20. Theframe 20 may include a pair of rails 20 a, 20 b. Each rail 20 a, 20 b,for example, may have an upper portion 21 a, 21 b, respectively, and alower portion 22 a, 22 b, respectively, The upper portion 21 a may beoriented perpendicular to the lower portion 22 a, and the upper portion21 b may be oriented perpendicular to the lower portion 22 b. When thestool 10 is in an unfolded position, the upper portions 21 a, 21 b maybe oriented in a horizontal direction, and the lower portions 22 a, 22 bmay be oriented in a vertical direction.

The stool may also include a first leg 30 or a first pair of legs 30.The first leg 30 may connect to the frame 20 at a first leg pivot 31that allows the first leg 30 to freely turn relative to the frame 20.First leg pivot 31 may include, e.g., a pin, hinge, swivel, rotor, orthe like. If the stool 10 includes multiple first legs 30, such as,e.g., a first pair of legs 30, they may he joined to each other by across member 32 (shown in FIG. 2).

Stool 10 may further include a second leg 40 or a second pair of legs40. If there are multiple second legs 40, such as, e.g., a pair ofsecond legs 40, they may be joined together by a rigid cross member 42(shown in FIG. 2) that may provide strength and stability. Rather thanconnecting directly to frame 20, the second leg 40 may be connected to aswing arm 50 at a pivot 41. The pivot 41 may include, e.g., a pin,hinge, swivel, rotor, or the like. The pivot 41 may permit the secondleg 40 and the swing arm 50 to freely rotate relative to each other. Thesecond leg 40 may be joined to the first leg 30 at a leg pivot 33 (shownin FIG. 2), which may include, e.g., a pin, hinge, swivel, rotor, or thelike.

The swing arm 50 may be connected to the frame 20 at or near themidpoint of the frame 20. In addition, the swing arm 50 may beapproximately half the length of the frame 20. This configuration maypermit the stool 10 to have two or more positions, namely a foldedposition and an open or unfolded position. In the folded position, theswing arm 50 may be parallel and alongside the portion of the frame thatis proximate the first leg pivot 31. This may bring the second leg pivot41 close to the first leg pivot 31. The second leg 40 may be nearlycoplanar with the first leg 30, which may give the stool 10 a relativelyflat profile that may be ideal for transport, storage, and the like.

In the open or unfolded position, the swing arm 50 may be substantiallyparallel with the frame 20, as it was in the folded position. In theopen position, however, the swing arm 50 may be positioned alongside theportion of the frame 20 that is distal to the first leg pivot 31. As aresult, the second leg pivot 41 may be located at the far end of theframe 20 from the first leg pivot 31, The legs 30, 40, when unfolded,may provide a sturdy and reliable support for the frame 20.

Many users may desire a stool that is comfortable, in addition to beingsturdy and reliable, To this end, a seat 60 may be mounted atop theframe 20, The seat may be made from any material or combination ofmaterials, including metal, wood, fabric, vinyl, leather, plastic, andthe like. The seat 60 may be connected to the frame 20 with a swivel 70,such as a flat swivel, a lazy susan swivel, or the like as shown inFIGS. 7A and 7B. The swivel 70 may add or enhance the comfort of thestool 10, especially when compared to folding stools that lack a swivel70.

The stool 10 may include a mechanism for locking the stool in a foldedor unfolded position. For example, such a locking mechanism may includea pin 80 that may be attached to the frame 20. The mechanism may furtherinclude a spring 81 that is biased so as to push the pin 80 through theframe 20. As the stool 10 is folded, a notch 52 in the swing arm 50 maycontact the pin 80 and push the pin 80 away from the frame 20. The swingarm 50 may also include a hole 54 that is associated with the notch 52,The notch 52 and the hole 54 may be structured such that the hole 54 mayreceive the pin 80 when the stool is in an unfolded position. When thestool 10 is in a fully unfolded position, the pin 80 may slide throughthe hole 54, thereby locking the stool 10 in the unfolded position. Thislocking mechanism may prevent the stool 10 from collapsing unexpectedly,injuring the user or others in the area. To fold the stool 10, the usermay grasp a ring 82 that is attached to the pin 80 and pull the pin 80away from the stool 10. Once the pin 80 has cleared the hole 54, thestool 10 may be collapsed or folded.

FIG. 2 shows a partially folded stool 10 according to an aspect of thepresent disclosure. As described above with respect to FIG. 1, the stool10 may include a first pair of legs 30 and a second pair of legs 40. Thefirst pair of legs 30 may be joined to the second pair of legs at a pairof pivots 33. The pivot 33 may include, e.g., a pin, hinge, swivel,rotor, or the like. The first pair of legs 30 may be joined to eachother by a bar 32, and the second pair of legs 40 may be joined to eachother by a bar 42. The first pair of legs 30 may connect directly to theframe 20. Each leg in the first pair of legs 30 may be connected to theframe 20 by a pin 31. FIG. 2 also shows a pair of swing arms 50 that mayconnect the legs 40 to the stool frame 20. Each swing arm 50 may beconnected to its corresponding leg in the second pair of legs 40 by apin 41. One or both swing arms 50 may include a hole 54 that may be usedlock the stool 10 in a folded position, an unfolded position, or both.

FIG. 3 illustrates a pin 80 and the related parts of the lockingmechanism that may be used to lock the stool 10 in a folded position, anunfolded position, or both, according to certain aspects of the presentdisclosure. The pin 80 may be affixed to the frame 20. In particular,the pin 80 may be housed in a bracket 84 and pass through a hole in theframe 20. The pin 80 may include a plate or other fixture orientedperpendicular to the pin's main or longitudinal axis and substantiallyparallel to the frame 20. The plate or other fixture may limit thetravel of the pin 80 through the hole in the frame 20. The plate mayalso provide a suitable surface for a spring 81 to press against. Thespring 81 may bias the pin toward the frame 20. A ring 82 may beattached to the end of the pin 80 that is distal to, or oriented awayfrom, the frame 20. The ring 82 may be sized and constructed to permit auser of the stool 10 to retract the pin 80 fully or substantiallythrough the hole in the frame 20. By retracting the pin 80, the user maybe able to unlock the stool 10 from its current position (e.g., foldedor unfolded) so that it may be reconfigured to a different position(e.g., unfolded or folded, respectively).

The swing arm 50 may include a notch 52 located on the swing arm. Thenotch 52 may contact the pin 80 when the stool 10 is, e.g., in a foldedposition or an unfolded position. The notch 52 may include a taperedlead-in portion that may contact the 80 pin as the stool 10 is intransition to, e.g., a folded or an unfolded position. The lead-inportion may push the pin 80 out of position so that the user of thestool 10 does not need to manually move the pin to get the stool intoits new position. Once the hole 54 is aligned with the pin 80, thespring 81 may push the pin 80 through the hole 54, and the stool 10 maythus be locked in position.

FIG. 4 shows the stool 10 in a folded position, according to an aspectof the present disclosure. The first pair of legs 30 and the second pairof legs 40 may both be curved, they may both be straight, or one may becurved and the other straight. If the legs 30, 40 are curved, they maybe curved so that they fit under the seat 60 of the stool 10, as shownin FIG. 4. This arrangement may result in the overall depth of the stool10 being no greater than that of the seat 60 and the frame 20, thusminimizing the footprint of a folded stool stored in a verticalorientation. In addition, the structure and arrangement of the legs 30,40 may be selected so that multiple stools may be easily andconveniently stacked or otherwise stored together.

FIG. 5 shows the stool 100 in an unfolded position, according to anaspect of the present disclosure. In this position, the frame 20 may besupported by both the first pair of legs 30 and the second pair of legs40. The first pair of legs 30 may be interconnected and strengthened bythe bar 32, and the second pair of legs 40 may be interconnected andstrengthened by the bar 42. The first pair of legs 30 and the secondpair of legs 40 may be pivotally connected at a respective pivot 33,which may include a pin, hinge, swivel, rotor, or the like. The seat 60may he placed in a relatively horizontal orientation on top of the frame20, Thus the seat 60 may provide a comfortable place for a user to sit.

FIG. 6 shows the stool 10 in a folded position, according to an aspectof the present disclosure. The arrows at the top of the stool 10indicate how the seat 60 may rotate relative to the frame 20. Forexample, a lower portion 72 of the swivel 70 may be fixed to the frame20, and the seat 60 may be fixed to the upper portion 71 of the swivel70.

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b show examples of two types of swivel 70 that may beused with aspects of the present disclosure, In general, the swivel 70may have a very low profile. In other words, the vertical height of theswivel 70 may be small, especially in comparison to other dimensions ofthe swivel 70. A swivel 70 that is thick may also be used, but a smallerprofile swivel 70 is preferred as it is pleasing or appealing inappearance, especially if the swivel 70 reduces an unsightly profileheight of the stool.

While the swivel 70 may have a low or short profile height, the swivel70 may have to bear the weight of a person sitting on the stool, who mayweigh as much as 250 lbs. or more. The swivel 70 may also have towithstand substantial torque when a person sitting on the stool attemptsto rotate the seat relative to the frame and/or legs. Light-weightmaterials may fail under these circumstances, under heavy loads, and/orafter repeated uses. Accordingly, the swivel 70 may be constructed ofheavy-duty materials, such as, e.g., galvanized steel or heavy-gaugealuminum. Heavy-duty materials may allow the swivel 70 to maintain a lowprofile height while withstanding the stresses placed upon it in thecourse of normal use.

FIG. 7 a shows a flat swivel 70 a. The swivel 70 a may have a very lowor flat profile and may include an upper portion 71 a and a lowerportion 72 a. The swivel 70 a may be fabricated from heavy-dutymaterials, such as, e.g., galvanized steel or heavy-gauge aluminum. Boththe upper portion 71 a and the lower portion 72 a may have one or moreholes for receiving a screw, bolt, or like fastener for attachment tothe seat 60 or frame 20, respectively. Alternatively, the upper portion71 a may be affixed to the seat 60 by adhesives, welding, or anycombination of fastening means. Likewise, the lower portion 72 a may beaffixed to the frame 20 by adhesives, welding, or any combination offastening means.

FIG. 7 b shows a bottom view of a lazy susan swivel 70 b, which may beused with certain aspects of the present disclosure. The lazy susanswivel 70 b may include an upper portion 71 b and a lower portion 72 b.Both the upper portion 71 b and the lower portion 72 b may have one ormore holes for receiving a screw, bolt, or like fastener for attachmentto the seat 60 or frame 20, respectively. Alternatively,, the upperportion 71 b may be affixed to the seat 60 by adhesives, welding, or anycombination of fastening means. Likewise, the lower portion 72 b may beaffixed to the frame 20 by adhesives, welding, or any combination offastening means.

Both the upper portion 71 b and the lower portion 72 b may have aring-like shape. The upper portion 71 b may rotate relative to the lowerportion 72 b through the use of, e.g., ball bearings or the like. Forexample, upper portion 71 b may have a larger diameter, while lowerportion 72 b may have a smaller diameter. The upper portion 71 b mayoverlap the lower portion 72 b, and the bearings or other means ofrotation may be located in this overlap. This arrangement may allow theswivel 70 b to radially separate the fasteners for the upper portion 71b from the fasteners of the lower portion 72 b. In contrast, the flatswivel 70 a may vertically align its fasteners. By radially separatingfasteners, the lazy susan swivel 70 b may achieve a slimmer or flatterprofile than the flat swivel 70 a.

The present disclosure may provide a folding stool with a swivel seat.This stool may be easier to transport or store than non-folding stools,In addition, it may be more comfortable than current folding stools,which lack a swivel seat. The swivel seat may enhance comfort byallowing the seat to turn with the user as she is standing up from thestool or sitting down on it. This is especially true for materials thatmay be abrasive or sticky, such as wood or vinyl. A swivel mechanism maymake it easier for a user to sit down or get up from a stool positioned,e.g., at a bar. A swivel may also make it easier for a user to face indifferent directions, which may be a concern if the seat of the stoolhas a directional bias or contours for comfort. The swivel mechanism,and the overall stool, may also enhance comfort in additional ways,which are contemplated by the present disclosure and within its spiritand scope.

While the present disclosure has been described in terms of exemplaryembodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the presentdisclosure can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and scopeof the appended claims. These examples given above are merelyillustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possibledesigns, embodiments, applications or modifications of the presentdisclosure.

1. A stool comprising: a seat; a frame; a swivel connected to the seatand the frame, the swivel configured to allow the seat to rotaterelative to the frame; a first pair of legs pivotally connected to theframe; a second pair of legs pivotally connected to the frame, thesecond pair of legs pivotally connected to the first pair of legs; andthe first pair of legs, the second pair of legs, and the frameconfigured to fold to a folded position and to unfold to an unfoldedposition.
 2. The stool of claim 1, further comprising a swing arminterposed between the second pair of legs and the frame, the swing armpivotally connected to the second pair of legs, the swing arm pivotallyconnected to the frame.
 3. The stool of claim 2, further comprising apin that is attachable to the frame and configured to engage the swingarm when the stool is in an unfolded position, thereby locking the stoolin an unfolded position.
 4. The stool of claim 3, further comprising: aspring connectable to the pin and configured to bias the pin toward theframe; and a ring connectable to the pin distal to the frame.
 5. Thestool of claim 4, further comprising a notch formed in the swing arm,the notch configured to engage the pin when the stool is in transitionto an unfolded position.
 6. The stool of claim 5, further comprising ahole formed in the notch, the hole configured to receive the pin whenthe stool is in an unfolded position.
 7. The stool of claim 1, whereinthe frame comprises a pair of rails, each rail having an upper portionand a lower portion, the upper portion structured at substantially aright angle to the lower portion.
 8. The stool of claim 1, wherein theseat is constructed from at least one material selected from the groupconsisting of metal, wood, fabric, vinyl, leather, and plastic.
 9. Thestool of claim 1, wherein the swivel is a flat swivel or a lazy susanswivel.
 10. A stool comprising: a frame having a first end, a midpoint,and a second end; a seat; a swivel connected to the seat and the frame,the swivel configured to allow the seat to rotate relative to the frame;a first leg having a first end and a midpoint, the first end of thefirst leg pivotally connected to the first end of the frame; a swing armhaving a first end and a second end, the first end of the swing armpivotally connected to the midpoint of the frame; and a second leghaving a first end and a midpoint, the first end of the second legpivotally connected to the second end of the swing arm.
 11. The stool ofclaim 10, wherein the first leg, the swing arm, and the second leg arestructured and arranged such that the first end of the second leg andthe second end of the swing arm are adjacent to the second end of theframe when the stool is in an open position and are adjacent to thefirst end of the frame and the first end of the first leg when the stoolis in a folded position.
 12. The stool of claim 10, wherein the midpointof the first leg is pivotally connected to the midpoint of the secondleg.
 13. The stool of claim 10, further comprising a pin that isattachable to the frame and configured to engage the swing arm when thestool is in an unfolded position, thereby locking the stool in anunfolded position.
 14. The stool of claim 13, further comprising: aspring connected to the pin and configured to bias the pin toward theframe; and a ring connected to the pin distal the frame.
 15. The stoolof claim 14, further comprising a notch formed in the swing arm, thenotch configured to engage the pin when the stool is in transition to anunfolded position.
 16. The stool of claim 15, further comprising a holeformed in the notch, the hole configured to receive the pin when thestool is in an unfolded position.
 17. The stool of claim 10, wherein theframe comprises a pair of rails, each rail having an upper portion and alower portion, the upper portion structured at substantially a rightangle to the lower portion.
 18. The stool of claim 10, wherein the firstleg comprises a pair of legs and the second leg comprises a pair oflegs.
 19. The stool of claim 10, wherein the seat is constructed from atleast one material selected from the group consisting of metal, wood,fabric, vinyl, leather, and plastic.
 20. The stool of claim 10, whereinthe swivel comprises a flat swivel or a lazy susan swivel.